MOS - questions and answers - Office for Foreigners

MOS - questions and answers

What is MOS?

MOS – Cases Handling Module – is the communication and information portal developed to file applications for a residence permit in Poland. The new version of the portal enabling fully electronical applying for a temporary, permanent and long-term resident’s EU residence permit in Poland is to be launched soon.

All questions and answers below will refer to the new portal version.

Who may create an account at the MOS portal?

An account at MOS can be created by:

An adult foreigner;
A parent of foreign child – for this foreign child;
A foreigner guardian – for this guardian;
A custodian of an unaccompanied foreign child – for this unaccompanied foreign child.

These persons must hold a trusted profile.

From when can I create an account at the MOS portal?

A user account for the new MOS portal can be created from the moment of its launch.

How to create an account at the new MOS portal? What documents do I need to prepare?

To create an account at the new MOS portal:

Visit mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl and read About portal;
Go to Rules and Regulations to read the rules of using the portal and other important information;
Click “Log in”;
You will be redirected to login.gov.pl;
Confirm your identity, using your selected authentication method;
As you confirm your identity, you will be redirected to MOS to fill the registration form for the new account;
Fill the registration form;
Click “Approve”;
A message with link activating your account will be sent to the e-mail address indicated in the registration form;
Follow the instruction received in the e-mail and click the link; you will be redirected to confirm registration of your account at MOS;
When your account is created, log in each time to MOS via login.gov.pl by clicking “Log in”.

Never share your logging information to login.gov.pl. This may affect security of your data!

Can I create an account at the new MOS portal providing the same address as for the account created at the old MOS portal?

Yes.

I have a representative. Can my representative create an account at the MOS portal for me?

No, your representative is not entitled to do so. The Rules and Regulations prohibit using other users’ accounts. Since the user is obliged to keep confidentiality of data necessary to log in to the portal, the user cannot share them to any third persons, including a representative.

The representative may participate in filling the application in a way that the application is filled by a foreigner in the representative’s presence.

Never share your logging information to login.gov.pl. This may affect security of your data!

I have my user account at the existing MOS portal. Is the account automatically transferred to the new portal?

No, the existing MOS portal will be disabled and user accounts deleted. You will have to create a new user account.

How can I log in to the new MOS portal?

You can log in to the new MOS portal via login.gov.pl. Visit mos.cudzoziemcy.gov.pl and enter your logging data after clicking “Log in”. If you don’t have an account in the new MOS system, you will have to create one. Never share your logging information to login.gov.pl. This may affect security of your data!

What is trusted profile and how to obtain it?

Trusted profile is an electronic identification tool. It enables you confirming your identity in the Internet and signing a document with an electronic signature. More information is available here: https://www.gov.pl/web/profilzaufany.

What application can I submit via the new MOS portal?

You can apply for the following permits via MOS portal (available via Internet browser):

temporary residence permit,
permanent residence permit,
long-term resident’s EU residence permit.

From the moment the new MOS portal is launched, it will be possible to submit applications for the above-mentioned permits exclusively in electronic form.

You don’t need to print the application and send it to a voivod. Even if you print and send the application in paper form to the voivod, it will not be examined.

NOTE!
The persons, whose legal residence expires from from the middle of March until the end of April, we recommend that you do not delay submitting your residence permit application and submit it as soon as possible in paper form.
Closely monitor information regarding the launch date of the new portal! A paper application must be received by the Voivodeship Office before the launch date of the new MOS portal. If an application arrives after this date, it will not be considered (it will be left without examination) – the postmark date (mailing date) will not be taken into account.

You cannot apply for the following temporary residence permits via MOS portal:

for the purposes of work as an intra-corporate transferee;
for the purposes of long-term mobility of a manager, specialist or graduate trainee, under the intra-corporate transfer;
for the purposes of family reunion – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland;
for a family member of a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland;
for a foreigner having a family life in the meaning of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms with a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside the territory of the Republic of Poland

– these applications should still be submitted in paper form under the existing rules.

11. Does the MOS portal enables me to submit any application for a residence permit in Poland?
You can apply for the following permits via MOS portal:
• temporary residence permit (apart from the exceptions listed below) ,
• permanent residence permit,
• Long-term resident’s EU residence permit.
You cannot apply for the following temporary residence permits via MOS portal:
• for the purposes of work as an intra-corporate transferee;
• for the purposes of long-term mobility of a manager, specialist or graduate trainee, under the intra-corporate transfer;
• for the purposes of family reunion – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland;
• for a family member of a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland;
• for a foreigner having a family life in the meaning of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms with a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside the territory of the Republic of Poland
– these applications are submitted in paper form under the existing rules.

12. Are the proceedings fully online, or require my appearance in person?

Only submitting the application is fully online. You will have to appear in person on request of the voivod handling the case to provide your fingerprints and specimen signature, present the original passport and documents and – if necessary – supplement any missing documents.

13. Do I need to book a date to submit my application?

No, you don’t need to book a date to submit the application or stay in queues - you can apply at any time and place that is convenient to you via MOS portal.

14. Can I apply using my smartphone, or is a computer necessary?

You can fill your application using any device via Internet browser.

15. I have no access to a computer. How to apply for a residence permit in Poland?

In such case, you may receive assistance in the voivodeship office, where you intend to apply.

16. Can I use the assistance of a representative? I am afraid that I am not able to handle this myself.

The form in the MOS system is developed in a way so that anyone can fill it without professional assistance. You will find there simple instructions to guide you step by step.

Naturally, if you feel uncertain, you can use assistance of a third person to fill the electronic application, but remember that you need to be logged in to your account. The key issue is to sign the application using your electronic signature or trusted profile at the end.

Never share your logging information to login.gov.pl. This may affect security of your data!

17. Can a representative fill the application for me and send it from its account at the MOS portal?

No. You must log in to the MOS portal personally, using your logging data.

Never share your logging information to login.gov.pl. This may affect security of your data!

18. My legal residence ends in a few days before or after launching the new MOS portal. What should I do in such case to effectively apply for a residence permit in Poland?

The persons, whose legal residence expires from the middle of March until the end of April, we recommend that you do not delay submitting your residence permit application and submit it as soon as possible in paper form.
Closely monitor information regarding the launch date of the new portal! A paper application must be received by the Voivodeship Office before the launch date of the new MOS portal. If an application arrives after this date, it will not be considered (it will be left without examination) – the postmark date (mailing date) will not be taken into account.

19. What should I do, if I want to apply for a residence permit in Poland on the last day of my legal residence and on that day the MOS portal is disabled?

In such case, you need to submit your application within 3 working days following the date, when the system’s unavailability was removed, at the latest. The date of submission shall be the first day of the system’s unavailability.

The official website of the Office for Foreigners (www.gov.pl/udsc) will publish information on the system failures, scheduled maintenance breaks and restarting the system.

Please be aware that after restarting the MOS portal, you should not postpone submitting your application by the last day of your legal residence. There may the case that you will be unable to attach all necessary documents to your application in a single day.

We particularly encourage you to earlier submissions of applications, which require signing an attachment by a third person:

• by employer – when applying for a permit:
o for temporary residence and work,
o for temporary residence for the purposes of conducting business, which is issued to a foreigner aimed at taking up employment in the management board of a limited liability company or a joint-stock company, which was established by or which shares of stocks were purchased or acquired by this foreigner, or running a limited partnership or a limited joint-stock partnership by a as a general partner or acting as a commercial proxy,
o for taking up highly qualified employment or for temporary residence permit for the purposes of long-term mobility of the EU Blue Card holder;
• by graduate institution – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of studying;
• by traineeship or voluntary work organiser – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of a traineeship or voluntary work.
Please remember that if the application requires an attachment signed by a third person (for example employer), you may wait for a long time for such signature.

20. Do I have to fill the application in Polish?

Yes, you have to fill the application in Polish. If you are afraid that your knowledge of Polish is insufficient, you can use public, free text translation tools or use the assistance of a Polish-speaking person. Do not worry that you will write something incorrectly – all that matters is that your answers are understandable and your personal data provided correctly – in accordance with data from your travel document (a foreign passport).

21. How to apply for a residence permit in Poland via MOS portal?

Soon you will be able to apply for a residence permit in Poland (temporary, permanent and long-term resident’s EU residence permit) only in electronic form via dedicated MOS portal (Cases Handling Module), available via Internet browser. You don’t need to book a date to submit the application or stay in queues – you can apply at any time and place that is convenient to you. You can also stop filling the application, save the entered data and re-edit them.

Access to the MOS system will be free of charge. You can apply by your own, without the need to use any paid services of the agents. Your only costs include the stamp duty at the time of applying (in the amount depending on the type of permit – between PLN 340 and 640) and a fee for issuing a residence card (PLN 100). You cannot pay via MOS portal.

To apply for a residence permit in Poland, you need to:

Create a user account in the new MOS system (Cases Handling Module); if you already have an account in the existing MOS system, you will have to create a new one;
Personally log in to the MOS portal via login.gov.pl and fill the relevant application form for a residence permit in Poland;
Sign the application electronically – you need to have a trusted profile, qualified electronic signature or personal signature;
Add the required attachments:
- Valid photo in digital format;
- Digital image (scan or photo) of all pages of your valid travel document;
- Proof of payment (scan of a document or electronic confirmation of wire transfer): of the fee in the amount of PLN 100 for issuing a residence card and a stamp duty for issuing a residence permit (between PLN 340 and 640, depending on the type of a permit);
- Attachment signed digitally by:
  - Employer – when applying for a permit:
  - for temporary residence and work,
  - for temporary residence for the purposes of conducting business, which is issued to a foreigner aimed at taking up employment in the management board of a limited liability company or a joint-stock company, which was established by or which shares of stocks were purchased or acquired by this foreigner, or running a limited partnership or a limited joint-stock partnership by a as a general partner or acting as a commercial proxy,
  - for taking up highly qualified employment or for temporary residence permit for the purposes of long-term mobility of the EU Blue Card holder;
  - Graduate institution – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of studying;
  - Traineeship or voluntary work organiser – when applying for a temporary residence permit for the purposes of a traineeship or voluntary work.

When filling the application, you need to provide e-mail address of your employer, graduate institution or traineeship or voluntary work organiser. The link with a part of a relevant attachment to the application to be filled and signed by this entity will be send at this e-mail address. This will be necessary to effectively submit the application.

Following the correct signing and sending the application, you can save it in the PDF and XML formats and receive the Official Confirmation of Receipt (UPO).

NOTE!

A paper application must be received by the Voivodeship Office before the launch date of the new MOS portal. If an application arrives after this date, it will not be considered (it will be left without examination) – the postmark date (mailing date) will not be taken into account.

Application for a temporary residence permit:

for the purposes of work as an intra-corporate transferee;
for the purposes of long-term mobility of a manager, specialist or graduate trainee, under the intra-corporate transfer;
for the purposes of family reunion – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland;
for a family member of a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside Poland; for a foreigner having a family life in the meaning of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms with a citizen of the Republic of Poland, citizen of the EU Member State or of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, referred to in Article 10(1)(b) and (d) of the Withdrawal Agreement – when a foreigner concerned resides outside the territory of the Republic of Poland

is submitted in paper form under the existing rules.

22. If I start filling my application, can I quit and resume it later?

Yes, in such case you can resume your saved working copy within 45 days from the last changes to the application.

23. How long does it take to apply for a residence permit in Poland via MOS?

This depends on many factors, among others on how fast you type, what application you fill, what is your situation, how many times you departed from and arrived to Poland. Before you start filling the application, read the informational materials and prepare the required attachments.

Please remember that you may quit the application and save a working copy and edit it at a later date. If you have to add an attachment signed by your employer, graduate institution or a traineeship or voluntary work organiser to your application, remember that submitting the application depends on response of this entity to the received e-mail containing the attachment to be signed and on signing it by this entity. This is why we recommend to not to postpone submitting the application by the last days of your legal residence.

24. Can I send the saved working copy to myself or to my representative via e-mail?

No, there is no such option.

25. What is the permissible size of attachments that I need to add to the application?

Maximum size of photos is 2.5 MB, while of other attachments – 10 MB. You can add attachments of a total maximum size of 50 MB to the system.

26. What does digital image mean?

A digital image is an electronic document (e.g. scan, photo) being an accurate copy of the content, enabling reading it without having access to an original copy.

27. Do I need to attach a scan of the entire passport, or only of the first page?

You need to attach a scan or photo of all pages of your passport.

28. What are the requirements for a photo to be attached to the application?

The photo should:

Be taken within the last 6 months;
Be undamaged, colourful, sufficiently sharp and have dimensions of 35 mm x 45 mm;
Present the image of the applicant’s face from the top of the head to the upper part of the arms, in a way that the face covers 70-80% of the photo, on a bright, plain background, looking directly ahead with open eyes, hair removed from face, with natural face expression and closed mouth and that it reflects natural skin colour;
Present clearly the applicant’s eyes, in particular pupils, the applicant’s eye line is parallel to the upper edge of the photo;
Reflect the applicant’s face in a way raising no reasonable doubts, without headgear and dark glasses.

Dark glasses on the photo are permitted only for people with sight defect – in such case the scanned disability certificate must be attached to the application. If you have no certificate – attach your declaration of disability.

Headgear is permitted only for religious reasons, provided that face must be fully visible. You must attach a declaration of religious affiliation to your application.

The file containing a photo in JPG format must have dimensions of at least 684 x 883 pixels (width x height, with the ratio of 35x45 mm) and its size cannot exceed 2.5 MB. All documents in paper form must be converted into electronic form (scan or sharp photo of good quality) to enable their uploading to the MOS system.

29. How can I provide additional important information, if the form has no dedicated field?

Add the attachments containing important information to the application (in the last step).

30. Can I download the filled form and send it to the voivodeship office via e-mail or e-doręczenia (e-deliveries) instead of via MOS portal?

No, any application submitted in this way will not be examined.

31. Can I send a scan of documents with handwritten signatures, instead of signing them electronically?

The application and attachments requiring a signature of e.g. an employer or graduate institution, must be signed electronically or via trusted profile and sent via MOS platform. Other documents attached to the application can bear handwritten signatures, be scanned and attached to the application in the MOS system.

32. How will my employer, education facility or traineeship or voluntary work organiser receive relevant attachment to the application for signing?

When filling the application, you must provide e-mail address of your employer, graduate institution or traineeship or voluntary work organiser. The link with a part of relevant attachment to the application to be filled and signed by this entity will be immediately sent at this address. This is necessary for effective submission of the application. The link is valid for 30 days.

33. Can the employer, education facility or traineeship or voluntary work organiser add any additional documents to the attachment?

No. You can personally attach additional documents in electronic form to the application.

34. Can I submit the application, if the employer, education facility or traineeship or voluntary work organiser does not sign the required attachment?

No, the system will block submitting the application without the required attachment.

35. Will I receive any notification on signing the attachment by the employer, graduate institution or traineeship or voluntary work organiser?

Yes, you will receive a message of the content: “Your application can be submitted” at your e-mail address.

36. Is it possible to generate the application with the identification number before its submission?

Yes, you can generate a working version of the application using the “Print” button.

37. Will I receive feedback via e-mail after submitting the application?

No, you will not receive information on submitting the application via e-mail. The application status visible in the MOS system will be “Sent”.

As the signed application is sent, you will be able to download the Official Confirmation of Receipt (UPO).

Following the verification and approval of your application by the voivodeship officer, you will be able to download and print the certificate of application for a residence permit in Poland, which will replace the existing stamp in your passport. The services responsible for controlling legality of residence will receive information on the application you have submitted.

38. Do I need to additionally send the application by post to the office after submitting it via MOS?

No.

39. I applied for a residence permit in Poland via MOS portal. What’s next?

Following the correct signing and sending the application, you can save it in the PDF and XML formats and receive the Official Confirmation of Receipt (UPO).

The voivod handling the case will request you to appear in person to provide your fingerprints and specimen signature and present the original passport and, if needed – supplement information provided in the application or attach additional documents.

The voivod handling the case will send the decision at the delivery address provided by you (yours or your representative, if you have any).

40. What does the “Waiting for synchronisation” status mean and how long may it last?

This means that the application is being sent. It may take several minutes.

41. What does the “Sent” status mean and what are the next steps of procedure?

The “Sent” status means that the application is sent to the system. Generate UPO and wait for the certificate, which will be displayed at your application in MOS.

42. Can I undo the application or edit it after accidental clicking of “Send”?

There is no option to undo or edit the application, which was sent.

43. Is the application considered submitted only after the original copies of documents in paper form are delivered?

The application will be considered submitted at the time it is sent to the voivodeship office. Please remember that the application may contain formal defects – if you fail to supplement these formal defects within the defined time period despite being requested to do so by the voivod handling the case, the application will not be examined.

44. Can I communicate with the voivodeship office via MOS portal?

No.

45. Will MOS portal inform me on the need to supplement the documents or on the current status of the case?

No. You will be informed on the need to appear in person and supplement the documents by a voivodeship officer.

46. Where can I find the calendar in MOS to book the date for submitting the documents after applying in MOS?

The MOS system has no such functionality. You will be requested to submit documents by the voivod handling the case.

47. How can I deliver the original copies of documents to the office?

You will be requested by the voivod handling the case to present or deliver the original copies of documents, supplement information contained in the application or attach additional documents to the application.

48. Will the office request me to provide my fingerprints and specimen signature?

Yes, the voivod handling the case will request you to appear at a specific date to provide your fingerprints and specimen signature.

49. Will I be automatically requested to appear after sending the application (e.g. to collect fingerprints)?

No, you will be informed by the voivode handling the case on the date to appear in the voivodeship office.

50. Will I receive any stamp in my passport to confirm submitting the application?

No. Following the verification and approval of your application by the voivodeship officer, you will be able to download and print the certificate of application for a residence permit in Poland, which will replace the existing stamp in your passport. The services responsible for controlling legality of residence will receive information on the application you have submitted.

51. What should I do, if I want to change an employer, working conditions or inform on the new correspondence address after submitting the application?

In such case, you will have to inform the voivode outside the MOS portal, by sending a letter in paper form or electronically at the e-delivery (e-doręczenie) address of the voivod.

52. What should I do, if I want to change the purpose of residence in Poland after submitting the application?

In such case, you will have to inform the voivode outside the MOS portal, by sending a letter in paper form or electronically at the e-delivery (e-doręczenie) address of the voivod.

53. How will I receive a decision in my case?

The voivod handling the case will send the decision at the delivery address provided by you (yours or your representative, if you have any).

54. Can I appeal against the decision via MOS?

No, you have to send your appeal outside the MOS portal, by sending a letter in paper form or electronically at the e-delivery (e-doręczenie) address of the voivode.

55. I applied for a residence permit in Poland to the voivodeship office, the application was received before the new MOS system was launched. What should I do in such case? Should I discontinue the pending proceedings and apply via MOS?

If your application was received by the voivodeship office before the new MOS portal was launched, your case will be handled – you don’t need to discontinue the proceedings and re-apply for a residence permit in Poland via MOS portal.

56. Do I need to apply for issuing a new residence card also via MOS?

No, such applications are still submitted in paper form.